FORGET THE CIRQUE DU SOLEIL??

My memory has become a fickle thing. It could be the result of overwork, daily doses of stress, this cold medication I’ve been taking, or just the natural age factor. Whatever, it played a nasty trick on me this month, and very nearly got away with it!

My business associates were not able to attend the birthday bash held for me in July. They more than made amends by coming to the office later that week and giving me two tickets (very GOOD ones!) for the famous “Circle du Soleil”, which was being presented in Montreal…last night! I was overjoyed, and put them away carefully in my top drawer so that I wouldn’t lose them. Reading my first paragraph may lead you to think, “She couldn’t remember where she put them”. Wrong. I just forgot about them altogether!!

December is always a busy time. We have three companies who need to have financial statements completed and sent out by the end of the month, gifts to choose and wrap for our clients, the holiday schedule to work out, an office party to prepare, etc., etc. – plus our own personal shopping and seasonal activities to take care of. Added to that this year was my grandson’s fifth birthday party last week, and celebrating my daughter’s 40th, happening tonight. As the list of ‘Things to do’ became longer, my tired brain seemed to get smaller, this nagging head cold aside. I am running behind in everything, and find myself losing precious time by having to just sit and force my memory out of its neutral state. It tends to go blank. Traitor!

To prove how distracted I was (am), there was total non-reaction on my part when one of my co-workers mentioned the ‘Circle du Soleil’ event while in the lunch room this week. She had seen it last year, and was enthusiastically recommending it to all of us. I still find it hard to believe that her words did not turn on the light. I don’t even have the excuse of not hearing her, because I did, but…no bells and whistles. Then Yoshiko, my daughter-in-law who is part of my team, turned and said, “Mom is going to see it this time.” I stared at her. I am?? Then...bang! I remembered! Those tickets!!

What followed was a scramble to hunt through the desk drawer to check out the date, hoping it wasn’t tonight, the same time as my daughter’s party. Then a sigh of relief, and a bit of re-organizing when I discovered it was not. I was able to attend, and it was a spectacular show! I don’t even want to imagine what I’d have felt to have missed it. Yoshiko merits a huge, thankful hug!

There is something to learn from everything, and this time, of course, it’s that I need to slow down and, as Kilroy put it, smell the roses. Usually I can ignore the warning when my body tries to tell me. Pop more vitamins, an extra hour of snooze…and keep going. However, one has to pay attention when your mind and/or memory come into play. Whether you want to or not, you come to a complete stop if you DON'T pay attention. And it’s scary. Now I need to figure out a way to do it. If I remember……

As long as I don’t forget to SMILE – which I haven’t – am sending out a huge one for you all!!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.